STARLING. 63 



meadows, when feeding on the ground, they advance in bodies, 

 sometimes in a square, or at an angle ; or again in a compact 

 mass ; some fifty or sixty of those in the rear will rise, fly over the 

 rest, and alight just in front of the main body. These again will 

 be followed by others in a similar manner ; then they will all rise 

 suddenly together, with loud clamour into the air. These well 

 drilled obedient birds, it may be observed, evidently have sentinels 

 of their own, for they are very difficult of approach. The House 

 Starlings, so to speak, do not seem to associate with these military 

 birds. They are gregarious too, but they consort with the Rooks, in 

 whose watchfulness against danger they possess perfect confidence. 

 In the severe winter of 1 880-1 the Starlings remaining here, 

 suffered severely. They were so tame, when grubbing beneath the 

 snow on the roadsides, that they allowed passers-by to come close 

 to them, and could easily have been caught by hand. 



Starlings from time immemorial have been favourite pets. In 

 a wild state they will often imitate the cries and notes of other 

 birds, and they may be taught to whistle particular tunes, to imitate 

 noises, and to say many words with great distinctness. The 

 barbarous custom of splitting their tongues, does not in any way 

 render it more easy for them to talk as is vulgarly supposed, since 

 the vocal vibration is formed solely in the throat, but this 

 cruelty, does very much interfere with the comfort of the bird 

 in taking its food. 



The faculty of imitation in the Starhng is very great. Shakes- 

 peare incidentally pays a tribute to their cleverness in talking : 



I'll have a Starling taught to speak 

 Nothing but " Mortimer," and give it him, 

 To keep his anger still in motion. 



—1st Part Henry IV., I., 3. 



Starlings vary in their plumage, and in their glossy metallic tints 

 of purple and green ; the tips of the feathers may be white, as is 

 usual, or yellow ; some are almost black ; others have white feathers 

 in their wings ; and occasionally birds are observed with large 

 patches of white about them. 



